Fruit cocktail is a mix of fresh or preserved fruit, often served as an appetizer or dessert. Canned versions must contain specific fruits, with peaches and pears making up the largest portions. Homemade versions can be made with any fruit and stored in cans or jars with syrup. The origins of fruit cocktail are unclear, but it is believed to have been created as a way to use leftover fruit.
A fruit cocktail is a combination of fruit, fresh or preserved, that is cut into small, bite-sized pieces. The dish is also known as a fruit goblet. Often the syrup is made to drizzle the fruit for flavor and to prolong freshness. While the term cocktail usually refers to a mixed alcoholic drink, in this case, the term refers to a food served as an appetizer of a first course, such as a salad. In other cases, the dish is eaten as a dessert. The dish can be prepared at home and in restaurants, but is also sold widely as a canned food.
By definition, a fruit cocktail can consist of any desired fruit blend. Some government agencies, however, require canned fruit cocktails that are manufactured to contain specific fruits. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) stipulates that the dish must contain 30% to 50% peaches and 25% to 45% pears, making up the largest portions of the fruit glass. 6 to 20 percent of the cocktail should be any type of seedless grape, 6 to 16 percent should be diced pineapple, and a very few halved cherries round out the mix. Many canned varieties around the world contain similar fruits in similar quantities.
Fresh fruit cocktail can be made quite simply at home by cutting up any type of fruit and serving it with or without syrup. If you want to preserve the dish and store it in cans or jars, however, care must be taken in how the fruit is prepared. An ice bath can be prepared by first preparing a bowl of crushed ice; water and ascorbic acid can also be used.
Some choose to immerse whole pieces of fruit in boiling water for no more than two minutes. Then, the fruit can be chilled in the ice bath, allowing for easier skinning and cutting of the fruit. There are various syrup recipes available, but most call for boiling sugar, water, and other additions in a pan until the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup is clear. The syrup and fruit can then be combined in properly sealed containers and stored for months.
The exact origins of the fruit cocktail are unknown. Many believe the idea originated as a way to use leftover leftovers at fruit processing plants that would otherwise go to waste. Both William Vere Cruess, a food scientist, and Herbert Gray, who worked for the Barron-Grey Packing Company are credited with terming and manufacturing this food dish. Many companies now sell canned cocktails, and some have known it as “table food,” as it’s an inexpensive and common staple in schools and hospitals.
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